ROWDY

New Jersey Police Break Up Large Crowd at Funeral, Arrest 15

Cops had to call for backup when they were confronted by the angry crowd of 60 to 70 people who were violating social-distancing orders.

New Jersey police were confronted by an angry crowd of 60 to 70 funeral-goers on Wednesday night when they attempted to break up yet another large gathering of people who were violating social-distancing orders in an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. Lakewood Police called officers from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office for help with dispersing the resistant crowd. At least 370 people in Lakewood have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. When officers tried to identify and cite the funeral attendees, one individual—later identified as Samuel Manheim, 27—repeatedly refused to identify himself and gave officers a false name and Social Security number. He was charged with hindering his own arrest. At least 14 others were arrested. “The governor has banned all public gatherings during this state and national public-health emergency. This ban applies to everyone,” said Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer. “To be blunt, ignoring the governor’s order places lives at risk—not just the lives of everyday citizens, but the lives of our brave men and women in law enforcement who are required to respond in order to break up these unlawful gatherings.”